8 Step Process Perfects New Product Development
May 21, 2013
Every entrepreneur knows that productivity is one of the key ingredients for successful product development. One of the two key processes in Robert’s Rules of Innovation is the NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. A formalized, NPD process – also referred to and best practice: the Stage Gate® Process – is a must, from simple to sophisticated. The New Product Development process is often referred to as The Stage-Gate innovation process, developed by Dr. Robert G. Cooper as a result of comprehensive research... Read more »
Sustainable Innovation Meets Disruptive Innovation
April 23, 2013
Why is success so hard to sustain? In order to succeed, everybody should be involved and engaged in innovation. Innovation should be broad; from innovations in the product or offering, to innovations in the process, delivery, and/or finance. For many years, innovation was seen as the development of new products. However, creating new products is only one way to innovate. “Initially developed in 1998, the Ten Types of Innovation showed that companies that integrate multiple types of innovation will develop... Read more »
The Lost Interviews…
January 29, 2013
“What ruined Apple was not growth … what ruined apple was values… They got very greedy … Instead of following the original trajectory of the original vision, which was to make the thing an appliance and get this out there to as many people as possible … they went for profits. They made outlandish profits for about four years. What this cost them was their future. What they should have been doing is making rational profits and going for market share.” These are Steve Jobs Words from a 1995 interview... Read more »
Innovations to be thankful for… & the importance of the NPD process
November 26, 2012
After sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner last week, it is hard not to think of all that we have to be thankful for. In the past year there have been some incredible new innovations revolutionizing the way people live their lives. After countless hours spent planning, researching, designing, and testing; what was once an idea, becomes a tangible reality. Implementing innovation depends on a disciplined strategy customized to the needs, size and culture of an organization. Innovation can be incremental, which... Read more »
I.N.N.O.V.A.T.I.O.N : Creating a Culture of Innovation
October 30, 2012
Innovation in business is the development of new customer value through solutions that meet new needs, inarticulate needs, or current needs in new ways. Innovation in and of itself is the key to a company’s survival. It is the lifeblood of a company. That said, innovation is not always easy, and it does not come by itself. It requires a culture and desire to deliver that needs to be nurtured and reinforced by its leadership and a backed by a structured process approach. The ten imperatives in Robert’s... Read more »
Measure Innovation Efforts in Leading and Lagging Indicators (KPI)
October 23, 2012
How will you measure success? Innovation is ultimately about Return on Investment. It’s critical to use leading and lagging Key Performance Indicators, and observe and measure time spent on each segment of the new product development (NPD) process to see how it’s progressing. Leading Metrics used in the industry can include ideas generated, ideation sessions held, number of patents filed, and for lagging new products released, and percentage of sales due to new products. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srpyLoPp1JE&feature=share&list=UUxXhckNtVpjkJDNlR-GEYaA Read More →
Supporting the “R” in R&D
October 9, 2012
When it comes to Research and Development (R&D), a majority of the new product development process involves the “D” from concept to launch. However, the “R” is where most breakthroughs come from – and it is in jeopardy due to recessionary cuts and the short-term pressure for monthly and quarterly results. When companies are laser focused on delivering monthly bottomline goals, research can be left on the back burner. What are you doing to support research? Are you investing... Read more »
Innovation Myths Debunked
September 12, 2012
Innovation is key to a company’s survival, regardless of the size or type of organization. But there are many myths and common misconceptions when it comes to how innovation is achieved. Many people think innovation is all about generating ideas, or ideation. While it’s true that every innovation must start with an idea, it is actually the delivery and execution of processes that lead to sustained Innovation. In fact, when it comes to achieving a culture of innovation, execution may be the biggest... Read more »
Can Innovation Be a Structured Repeatable Process?
July 23, 2012
When Innovation comes to mind, the first thing people may think of is creativity, spontaneity, or a momentary stroke of genius. But can innovation occur out of a structured, repeatable process? The answer, in short, is yes. In fact, in order to build a long-term culture of sustained innovation, a structured process must be put into place especially in idea generation or ideation. Although it sounds counter intuitive to say “structure” and “ideation” in the same sentence, organizations... Read more »
Innovation: 3M’s lessons to be learned
May 15, 2012
While Apple is often the most highly touted company for its innovation success, 3M is a global innovation company that has remained under the radar for its long-term innovation plans and succeses. With $30 billion in sales and products sold in nearly 200 countries, 3M has made significant contributions to the health care, communications and office business – including bringing the world’s most recognizable brands Post-it Notes and Scotch tape to market. The root of 3M’s success is its business... Read more »
Innovation Evolution
